ArchivedRomans 1:26: Is it possible...It seems that many modern Christians would rather apply modern psychological thought to God's word than accept His word at face value. What is strange about "modern" psychological thought is that modern psychologists and psychiatrists cannot agree on what is "normal".
However Cross_+_Flame, if you are going to question God's word at least appeal to the original language and not liberal attitudes toward sexuality. Romans 1:26-27
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Uncleanness always generates more uncleanness. Here is a divine judgment in which God handed the Gentiles over to disgraceful passions. Women are charged with homosexuality in verse 26 and men in verse 27. Paul uses straightforward language to condemn perversion of sex from its rightful place in the marriage relationship. He regards the union of the sexes in marriage as a natural relationship (AV, natural use). But here women exchanged natural sex relations for that which is contrary to nature. The men did the same thing. Paul pictures the depravity and degradation of men inflamed with sensual desire for each other. This is followed by the note of judgment. In themselves . . . that recompense . . . which was necessary. Paul does not go into detail as to the exact nature of the judgment-the psychological and physical consequences. But the nature of the penalty is said to correspond to the enormity of the sin.
(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)
Romans 1:26
Romans 1:26
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
For this cause God gave them up (see the note at Romans 1:24) unto vile affections, [pathee (NT:3806) atimias (NT:819)] - 'shameless passions.' The expression is very strong, but not so strong as the monstrousness of the thing intended would have warranted.
For even their women - that sex whose priceless jewel and fairest ornament is modesty, and which, when that is once lost, not only becomes more shameless than the other sex, but lives henceforth only to drag the other sex down to its own level, "did change the natural use into that which is against nature:"
(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
Romans 1:26
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
[For this cause] On account of what had just been specified; to wit, that they did not glorify him as God, that they were unthankful, that they became polytheists and idolaters. In the previous verses he had stated their speculative belief. He now proceeds to show its practical influences on their conduct.
[Vile affections] Disgraceful passions or desires. That is, to those which are immediately specified. The great object of the apostle here, it will be remembered, is to shew the state of the pagan world, and to prove that they had need of some other way of justification than the law of nature. For this purpose, it was necessary for him to enter into a detail of their sins. The sins which he proceeds to specify are the most indelicate, vile, and degrading which can be charged on man. But this is not the fault of the apostle. If they existed, it was necessary for him to charge them on the pagan world. His argument would not be complete without it. The shame is not in specifying them, but in their existence; not in the apostle, but in those who practiced them, and imposed on him the necessity of accusing them of these enormous offences. It may be further remarked, that the mere fact of his charging them with these sins is strong presumptive proof of their being practiced. If they did not exist, it would be easy for them to deny it, and put him to the proof of it. No man would venture charges like these without evidence; and the presumption is, that these things were known and practiced without shame. But this is not all. There is still abundant proof on record in the writings of the pagan themselves, that these crimes were known and extensively practiced.
[For even their women ...] Evidence of the shameful and disgraceful fact here charged on the women is abundant in the Greek and Roman writers. Proof may be seen, which it would not be proper to specify, in the lexicons, under the words trizas (NT:5149), [olisbon], and [hetairistees]. See also Seneca, epis. 95; Martial, epis. i. 90. Tholuck on the State of the pagan World, in the Biblical Repository, vol. ii.; Lucian, Dial. Meretric.v.; and Tertullian de Pallio.
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
Romans 1:26
Romans 1:26
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
[For this cause God gave them up, etc.] Their system of idolatry necessarily produced all kinds of impurity. How could it be otherwise, when the highest objects of their worship were adulterers, fornicators, and prostitutes of the most infamous kind, such as Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, Venus, etc.? Of the abominable evils with which the apostle charges the Gentiles in this and the following verse I could produce a multitude of proofs from their own writings; but it is needless to make the subject plainer than the apostle has left it.
(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft)
Anal intercourse is a common practice among Christian married couples, at least according to some explicit threads I have read on the large Christian message board.
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